Nightmare
by Lorr
Summary: Short tag based on Common Ground promo only. Written prior to seeing the episode.


**Title:** Nightmare

**Author:** Lorr

**Genre/Rating:** Drama/Ansgt/Whump, probably not for small children

**Characters:** Sheppard, Weir, McKay, Teyla, Ronon, Koyla

**Disclaimer:** SGA belongs to lots of people that are not me. I stopped by for a visit.

**Spoilers:** Common Ground

**Note:** This is a tag based on the promo for Common Ground. It was written before the episode aired, so please forgive any and all discrepancies.

Sheppard was pushed into the chair, hands bound and unable to resist. He looked around the dimly lit room, wondering what Kolya had in mind for him. He hoped the others got away because it wasn't going to be pleasant. The rough gag hanging around his neck was there for only one, no, two reasons. They wanted to prevent him from talking or muffle his screams.

One of the guards turned from a camera focused squarely on the Colonel. If he leaned back a little, Sheppard could see his own image on a monitor off to one side. Kolya stood by, smiling with a perverted pleasure Sheppard had seen only on the faces of the maniacally cruel about to cause damage to their victims.

"You should have killed me, Colonel." Kolya's smile faded then returned. "Now you will get me what I want."

Sheppard cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry, I don't think I can. You haven't said please."

"You won't have a choice." The Genii narrowed his eyes. He turned and nodded at a couple of the guards near the door. They left without a word as another pulled the gag over Sheppard's mouth.

The man at the camera flipped a switch. He aimed the camera at Kolya, who had moved nearer to his hostage.

"Atlantis, this is Kolya. Am I speaking to Elizabeth Weir?" He spoke in a matter of fact tone.

"This is Weir. Where is Col. Sheppard?" Her voice was hard.

"He is here." The cameraman pulled back a little to get both him and Sheppard into the frame.

"Commander Kolya, you must release Col. Sheppard, unharmed, immediately." Fear gripped Elizabeth as she watched the poor transmission. She could see two men standing behind Sheppard, hands on his shoulders to hold him in place.

"Only when my demands are met, Doctor." Kolya smiled evilly. "Sheppard's team has had plenty of time to give you my list of requirements."

She took a deep breath and glanced around. McKay, Teyla and Ronon stood next to her. "Yes, they are here and have given me the list. You know I cannot give…"

"You will or Col. Sheppard will die a long, slow death." He paused, drawing out his pleasure. "I wanted to be certain you were there to see this."

Sheppard closed his eyes momentarily in relieve at the knowledge his team was safe. He tried in vain to move. Kolya wanted to kill him so bad, he could taste it. He was suddenly sure he would not see Atlantis again. He looked straight at the camera and shook his head. They couldn't give in.

"Commander!" Elizabeth barely kept her voice under control. They heard a scuffling noise off camera and saw Sheppard look to one side then blanch.

Sheppard's blood went cold. He swallowed hard under the gag. This was the nightmare come true. For an instant, they could see the fear. As briefly as he allowed it to surface, even the poor quality of the picture did not hide it.

The people in Atlantis were bewildered until the camera picked up the new arrival. Two large guards held a male Wraith between them. They moved him around so that the camera would show him better.

Sheppard remembered the bug. The agony that damn thing caused when it was slowly draining his life over almost an hour was bad enough. He did not want to think about the fact that the Wraith would suck him dry in two or three minutes, four if he was unlucky. He swallowed again, trying to think. But he knew there was no way out of this. He looked back at the camera and shook his head again just once, hoping she saw and understood. Better one person than the number this madman would kill with the weapons he was demanding.

"Last chance. It's your choice. No?" Kolya smiled again. He turned and nodded at the guards.

They brought the Wraith close to Sheppard. The cameraman moved just in time to catch the Wraith's hand slam onto Sheppard's chest. His back arched and head snapped back. The gag almost did its job of muffling the scream.

Elizabeth, McKay and Teyla remembered another scream. This one was worse. This one tore at their hearts. Ronon felt the scar on his chest burn with the memory of that brief moment of feeding on the hive ship. They bowed their heads, unable to watch, and wished they could block out the sound of that muted scream and the Wraith's satisfied hiss.

"That's enough." Kolya's voice cut into their pain. The guards grabbed the Wraith and pulled him away, screeching at the interruption. He spoke to the cameraman next. "Get close. I want them to see."

Sheppard's head had snapped forward when the Wraith stopped feeding. He tried to raise it, but could not. Kolya seized a handful of Sheppard's hair and brought his head up with a jerk. He bent low so that his face could also be seen by the observers in Atlantis. They saw their friend had aged perceptibly. Grey flecked his temples. He was ashen, tears flowing down lined cheeks. His eyes were closed and he was breathing fast against the pain.

"What do you think, Dr. Weir? Was that ten years? Fifteen? I'll have to be more careful, but I think I can stretch this out to four or five feedings. Or, maybe, the next time will be the last. I don't know if we'll be able to pull it off now that it has fed once. Sheppard will die an old man right before your eyes." He let Sheppard's head go and straightened. The image pulled back enough to show both men.

The Colonel struggled to look into the camera and slow his breathing. He shook his head once more, hoping they understood he was already dead.

"You have one hour to think about it, Dr. Weir." Kolya nodded and the screen went blank.

The End


End file.
